NACE 39.0 – Remediation Activities | Public Tenders

Definition: NACE 39.0 covers the remediation of environmental pollution of soils, waters and air, including the remediation of contaminated land (legacy sites), the decontamination of waters after accidents, asbestos abatement and other activities for restoring a pollutant-free environmental condition.

Legal basis: NACE Rev. 2 (Regulation (EC) No 1893/2006) · Last updated: January 2026

What does NACE 39.0 cover?

NACE 39.0 (Remediation activities) classifies companies that remediate contaminated land, waters and structures — a highly regulated area with public investment needs in contaminated sites, military land and accident response.

Group 39.0 within Section E and Division 39 comprises the following class:

Public contracting authorities under NACE 39.0 are federal authorities (for armed forces properties, federal roads), federal states (for suspected sites under the German Federal Soil Protection Act, BBodSchG), municipalities (for municipal contaminated sites), state environmental agencies and the Federal Institute for Real Estate (BImA) for military conversion sites.

Public Tenders: Scope of NACE 39.0

Soil and environmental remediation is a permanent area of public procurement: contaminated sites from industrial operations, armaments production, landfills and accidents require long-term remediation measures with public funding.

Typical contract types

• Contaminated-site remediation: Investigation, assessment and remediation of legacy landfills and legacy sites; in-situ remediation (biological, chemical) and ex-situ treatment of contaminated soil (CHCs, mineral oil hydrocarbons, PAHs, heavy metals)
• Groundwater remediation: Pump-and-treat methods, permeable reactive barriers (PRBs), in-situ remediation techniques for groundwater clean-up after pollution events
• Unexploded ordnance clearance: Detection, recovery and proper destruction of World War II munitions, bombs and unexploded ordnance on construction and conversion land; in Germany carried out by officially authorised UXO clearance services
• Asbestos abatement: Proper removal and disposal of asbestos-containing materials from public buildings (schools, administrative buildings, sports halls); strict TRGS 591 requirements
• Oil-spill response: Immediate measures following tanker accidents, leaks or operational incidents; use of vacuum tankers, oil booms, decontamination units
• Water quality remediation: Remediation of pollutant-contaminated sediments in lakes, rivers and harbours; dredging and disposal of contaminated sediments
• Decontamination of military land: Remediation of former barracks, training areas and ammunition depots; frequently tendered by BImA or armed forces property bodies
• Radiation protection and nuclear remediation: Dismantling of radiation-contaminated building parts, remediation of radioactively contaminated sites

Thresholds and procedure types

Remediation measures for larger contamination areas regularly exceed EU thresholds. As works or service contracts, thresholds of EUR 5,538,000 (works) or EUR 221,000 (services) apply depending on the type of service. Owing to technical complexity and uncertainties, the restricted procedure or the negotiated procedure is frequently chosen.

Relevant CPV codes for NACE 39.0

CPV codes enable targeted tender searches in environmental remediation and pollution removal on TED and national procurement platforms.

Current tenders can be found on TED (Tenders Electronic Daily) and at BImA, the Federal Ministry of Defence and state environmental authorities.

Who is NACE 39.0 relevant for in public procurement?

Public contracting authorities

In Germany and Austria, public authorities are responsible for the remediation of contaminated sites on public property and, as the responsible authorities, for ordering and supervising remediation on private land. Important contracting authorities are:

• Federal Institute for Real Estate (BImA): Remediation of former armed forces properties and conversion areas
• Federal armed forces and NATO authorities: Unexploded ordnance clearance on training areas, decontamination of military facilities
• State environmental authorities: Coordination and financing of contaminated-site remediation under BBodSchG (Germany) or ALSAG (Austria)
• Municipalities: Remediation of municipal legacy landfills and former gasworks sites (tar pits)
• Waterways and Shipping Administration (WSV): Sediment remediation in federal waterways

Companies and bidders

Remediation companies under NACE 39.0 must meet specific requirements depending on the service:

• Expertise and authorisation: Evidence of expertise under BBodSchV (Germany) for remediation investigations and measures; regulatory authorisation for unexploded ordnance clearance (state-specific)
• Hazardous substances qualification: TRGS 519 (asbestos), TRGS 524 (remediation of contaminated areas), radiation protection officer for nuclear remediation
• Technical equipment: Vacuum tankers, soil excavation equipment, mobile treatment facilities; evidence of capacity and technical equipment
• Disposal pathways: Available disposal routes for contaminated soil, special waste and hazardous waste; cooperation agreements with authorised landfills and treatment facilities
• Certifications: Efb certification; ISO 14001; specific expertise certificates for unexploded ordnance clearance; DEKRA/TÜV authorisations for blasting work

NACE 39.0 in context: Section E and related groups

NACE 39.0 is the specialist environmental remediation field within Section E — thematically closely linked to waste disposal and water protection.

• NACE E – Water supply, sewerage, waste: Parent section
• NACE 36.0 – Water collection, treatment and supply: Drinking water collection, waterworks
• NACE 37.0 – Sewerage: Treatment plants, sewer networks
• NACE 38.2 – Waste treatment and disposal: Landfill, incineration
• NACE 43.1 – Demolition and site preparation: Demolition and dismantling (often combined with asbestos abatement)

Frequently asked questions on NACE 39.0 and public tenders

Who is responsible for remediation of contaminated sites in Germany and who tenders?
Responsibility is determined by the Federal Soil Protection Act (BBodSchG): the polluter is primarily liable (condition liability, conduct liability). Where the polluter cannot be identified or is insolvent, public authorities bear the remediation costs and tender the works. Federal states and municipalities coordinate via contaminated-site registers and programmes.

What is particularly important in unexploded ordnance clearance tenders?
Unexploded ordnance clearance requires state-specific regulatory authorisation; not all winning bidders can operate in every federal state. Contracting authorities must observe authorisation in the respective state as a suitability criterion. In addition, blasting work is subject to authorisation and requires certified blasters.

How do I find current soil remediation tenders?
On TED by CPV search: 90522000 (contaminated soil), 90523000 (munitions disposal), 90732000 (soil decontamination). Further tenders appear on BImA portals, the procurement platforms of state environmental authorities and on municipal procurement portals.

Can soil remediation measures be tendered as framework agreements?
Yes. Authorities with recurring remediation needs (e.g. WSV, BImA, larger districts) use framework agreements to respond flexibly to newly discovered contamination. Call-off orders are awarded within the framework agreement without further tendering.

Last updated: January 2026
All information is provided without guarantee. For legally binding advice, please consult a law firm specialising in public procurement law.